ABOUT 3,000 Malabon City residents benefited from various government services and assistance through the "Handog ng Pangulo (HNP) 2026: Serbisyong Tapat Para Sa Lahat" caravan, a national government initiative held in partnership with the local government, Mayor Jeannie Sandoval said on Tuesday.
The one-day event, staged at the Malabon Sports Center and Atis Court in Barangay Potrero, gathered national government agencies and city government offices in one venue, giving residents convenient access to a wide range of public services, Sandoval said.
"Government service should be felt and easily accessed by our people. Through Handog ng Pangulo, we brought the various services and assistance of the national and city governments closer to Malabueños, making it easier for our residents to avail of what they need," she said.
The event featured the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, which distributed P4 million to 2,000 residents, along with an information booth for the Sustainable Livelihood Program and the Wireless Mental and Psychosocial Support Program.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) also distributed P1.96 million in allowances to 260 beneficiaries of its Government Internship Program.
City Administrator Alex Rosete told The Manila Times that the DOLE also assisted 300 beneficiaries of the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), each receiving P695 for 20 working days.
“Through Kadiwa ng Pangulo, around 1,000 individuals accessed affordable goods, including rice at P20 per kilogram. The Department of Agriculture provided anti-rabies vaccination, deworming, and neutering and spaying services for pets, as well as the AgriKids Caravan and Agri-Extension on Wheels for 100 beneficiaries,” Rosete said.
He said residents availed of various Department of Health programs, including immunization, cervical and breast cancer screening, distribution of assistive devices for persons with disabilities, tuberculosis services, oral health and non-communicable disease services, vitamins and supplements, and other health activities for 400 beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, 25 graduates of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Computer Systems Servicing National Certification II received their training allowances.
In total, documented assistance for SPES, health services and supplies, and DSWD AICS amounted to P8,660,750.
"These initiatives coming from no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are important because they bring together different offices to make services more efficient and accessible for our Malabueños. Through the cooperation of the national and local governments, we reach more people and deliver faster, more meaningful service to our constituents," said Sandoval, the city’s first female chief executive.
Present at Monday’s event were National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag, who represented the chief executive; the mayor’s husband and former congressman Ricky Sandoval; and local and national government officials.
